Meowtamorphosis
by yuriakugara
Summary: Sick and tired of Akane taking advantage of her curse to separate herself from Ranma, Shampoo decides to take matters into her own hands. By poisoning her with the neko mushroom which turns the consumer into a cat. Will Akane be able to revert back to her original form before its too late? And how will Ranma fare, trapped between two hissing wildcats?
1. Devious plans

**Guess who's back and better than ever? Yup it's me and here's a brand new fic for those who are itching for some action. So without further ado, let me present to you Meowtamorphosis. (sorry for the rather childish title).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ they belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi.**

* * *

_Stupid tomboy do it again! Take advantage of Shampoo's curse to separate Ai ren from rightful wife. _

Snarling and spitting, a drenched purple cat made its way towards the bathtub. With a graceful leap, it landed into the smooth basin and batted the tap. Hot water came gushing out, enveloping the bathroom in a fog of steam.

Where there was a purple cat, now crouched an angry amazon. Wringing out the excess water in her hair, Shampoo cursed as she recalled the day's events.

* * *

_Cycling at the speed of light, the amazon was out delivering ramen when she chanced upon the man of her future, her beloved Ai Ren. Without any further delays, Shampoo slammed her bicycle into the boy and glomped him with all her might._

"_Ranma take Shampoo to date! Right Ai ren?" _

"_No, Shampoo! I need to go to school! Now let go of me!" The unwilling martial artist struggled to free himself from the amazon's grip. But that only made her latch herself tighter onto his bicep._

"_School no fun. Stay with Shampoo and go date! Shampoo promise Ranma good time…" she purred, eyelashes fluttering in earnest as she leaned in for a kiss._

_But before Shampoo could get what she wanted, a torrent of water poured onto the couple. As always, this erupted a scream of pure fear from the redhead who fought to detach herself from the hissing wildcat._

"_GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Ranma screeched for all she's worth. The poor girl was at the brink of hysterics when Akane plucked the cat off her. _

"_Don't you have any shame you bimbo?" Akane growled as she dodged a vicious swipe. "Go back to delivering your noodles! Stupid cat!" with that the tomboy flung the yowling feline straight into the stratosphere. _

"_And you!" turning her attention back to the cowering martial artist, Akane gripped the back of the redhead's shirt and sprinted off. "Stop daydreaming and get a move on! We're going to be late and it's your fault!"_

* * *

_Shampoo take insult no more! Make Akane pay for what she done! _She was sick and tired of being forcefully removed from the object of her affections.A fist slammed into the shower wall and bashed a hole through it. Dusting plaster flakes off her hand, Shampoo wracked her brain to come up with a fitting punishment for her adversary.

What does Ranma detest and fear the most? The answer is simple, a cat. Since the tomboy always takes advantage to get rid of her through her curse, how would Akane like to be shunned forever by Ranma?

Slowly, Shampoo's plump lips teased out into a sadistic smile as a sinister plot began to form in her mind. Oh, it's the perfect solution to her problems and if she's lucky, Akane would be out of the picture pretty soon.

* * *

Sitting under the tree where a light breeze was caressing by, Akane felt utterly peaceful. It was early afternoon and the students' lunch break. Akane was in no hurry, taking a moment to appreciate the autumn colors before partaking in the bento that Kasumi had packed for her. When she was done and about to start on it, a looming figure caused her to falter.

"Hey can I have some of that, Akane?" asked Ranma as he eyed the perfectly fried cutlet with predatory eyes.

"No! It's mine. Didn't Kasumi pack you your lunch?" Akane calmly replied as she fished another piece of cutlet into her mouth.

"I finished it and I'm still hungry! Just a bite?"

"Go get a snack or bread from the vending machine if you're that hungry."

"Be a pal Akane, just one please? An itty bitty morsel?" The famished martial artist pleaded with all his might.

"I said…" The bluenette was about to spun the pestering Baka off when her refusal died at the back of the throat. Those blue-grey orbs shining with such pitiful intensity, boring straight into hers was making things awfully difficult.

"Quit…Stop…" Akane tried to steel her heart but soon succumbed to the continuous assault. "Oh, maybe just…"

But before she could offer Ranma a bite, a bicycle came soaring out of nowhere and struck the lunch box out of her hands.

"Hello Ai Ren! Shampoo bring dumplings and lunch for you." The intruder chirped as she dished out the steaming delicacies right in front of the drooling youth.

"Great timing Shampoo! Man, is this a feast fit for a king or what?" Ranma exclaimed before stuffing his face. Akane on the other hand had gone frigid with anger as she glared at the remains of her lunch, scattered all across the ground.

"Look what you did to my bento Shampoo! I was just about to eat that!" The bluenette snarled at the amazon. Although losing her lunch was the major reason for her ire but somewhere deep inside of Akane, there was something else that's bothering her.

"Oh, Shampoo sorry. Shampoo make it up to Akane. Have free dumplings, very tasty!" she pushed a bamboo steamer full of dumplings into the hands of the frowning tomboy.

Glancing down at the dumplings, Akane couldn't help swallowing. She could see the plump filling through its translucent fine skin. A warm tantalizing scent of perfectly cooked beef wafted through her senses, coaxing her to come hither.

Slowly, she reached out and lifted one by the chopsticks. The morsel glistening with minute dewdrops dipped a little due to the savory soup inside it. Akane was about to take a bite before a thought struck her.

"There's nothing 'special' about these dumplings is there?" the bluenette's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Shampoo's lips gave an involuntary twitch. _Typical of violent girl to don't trust dumplings._ But ever so cunning, she had already derived a plan should such a situation occur.

"Akane not trust Shampoo? Shampoo prove to Akane!" the amazon snapped. Snatching a dumpling, she popped it into a mouth and chewed. An instantaneous look of bliss washed over Shampoo's face and she had to discreetly wipe away the rivets of broth that burst from the dumpling's confines. "See, safe to eat."

That, was not what Akane had been anticipating. Honestly, she was expecting the Bimbo to scowl and snatch the steamer back. Blinking rapidly at Shampoo, she gave her one last survey. Judging from the amazon's body language and facial expression, it seems as though she has no hidden intention.

So after a slight hesitation, Akane gave in and she was rewarded with an explosion of flavors that danced on her tongue. Shampoo maybe a crazy bimbo but she sure can cook. Those dumplings taste divine. Without her control, a jab of jealousy stabbed deep within the confines of Akane's chest but she smothered it before it could aggravate her any further.

"Thanks for the food Shampoo." The blunette grudgingly thanked the amazon.

"Akane no need thank Shampoo. Shampoo repay debt." She replied haughtily.

"Right…" Those words cause an eye roll from the bluenette. What was she expecting? A gracious acknowledgement? She should have known better after spending so much time with the amazon.

The ringing of the school bell jerked Akane out of her thoughts. _I better get back to class before its too late._

"Stop stuffing your face and get a move on!" she yelled back at the martial artist who was still gorging himself.

"Mmph! Gotta go Shampoo! Thanks for the food!" Ranma waved as he took after the tomboy's retreating figure. "Hey wait up Akane!"

"Bye Bye!" chirped the amazon as she waved back cheerfully. Seeing the two disappearing back into school, Shampoo discarded the friendly facade. The twisting of her mouth was too sarcastic, too sardonic to be considered a smile. The execution of the plan went beautifully with barely a hitch.

_Soon, Violent tomboy get taste of own medicine…_

* * *

"Take the coefficient of x divided by…" Scribbling down the mathematical formula into her notebook, Akane propped her head in her palm as she eased out a sigh. She doesn't know why but she feels strange.

It as though something is stirring deep within her. A throbbing and pulsing sensation that coursed through her body. It started as soft ripples that tingled through her nerves, nothing too extreme that she couldn't withstand.

But after ten minutes, Akane realize that this wasn't just a normal muscle spasm. The ripples are increasing in intensity. It was as though she had stuck her fingers into a power socket and pure electricity was being jolted through her entire system. It took all her willpower not to scream and she accomplished it by gritting her teeth until her jaw hurt.

The torment continues but in a different tactic. A sharp gasp escaped Akane's tightly clamped lips as she felt the air rush out of her lungs. This time round it was as though a world class boxer had unleashed a punishing blow onto her stomach.

A wave of nausea washed over her threatening to cause Akane to blackout. But she was thankful for it as it serves as a distraction from the excruciating stabbing of her inner organs. Wave after wave the torture came and all the girl could do was to endure and pray for it to end.

Her wish was granted as the agony slow receded to a clause but it was only a disguise of what's to come. Akane's eyes snapped open and she screamed; a sound of pure suffering. From the base of her spine sprang a long supple tail that swished with agitation. The growth of the new appendage was hardly noticed by the bluenette.

Her attention was diverted elsewhere. Clutching the sides her head, Akane could feel her ears shrinking back into her skull. Inch by inch they receded but at the top of her head sprouted two feline ears to compensate for the loss of her original pair.

With the emergence of her new limbs, Akane's torment came to the end but not for long. Raising a trembling hand to a twitching ear, which was the same shade as her midnight blue hair; the girl gazed at her reflection in the window in utter disbelieve before choking out a shocked whisper.

"What's happening to me?"

* * *

I know, I know, you all must be cursing me for leaving you hanging. I do apologize for the super short chapter but as they always say, good things come to those who wait. So keep your hats on!

Yuria out.


	2. Consolation

**Hey guys, so sorry for taking such a long time to update. So let's cut to the chase and don't let me take any more of your time. **

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own. I just like to play with them**.

* * *

_Raising a trembling hand to her twitching ear, which was the same shade as her midnight blue hair; the girl gazed at her reflection in the window in utter disbelieve before choking out a shocked whisper._

"_What's happening to me?"_

* * *

"Is that a tail?"

"Whoa, look at that!"

Murmurs and whispers of her transformation erupted throughout the class but Akane was too overwhelmed by the constricting grip of shock to even care. She stood there frozen like a statue before a sharp hiss of her name jolted her to her senses.

"Akane! Akane! Your skirt! Pull it down!" Sayuri gestured frantically.

*What's wrong with… Eep!* The tomboy squeaked as she yanked the fabric firmly over her exposed derriere. With her newly sprouted tail jutting out of her tail bone, it had effectively lifted the pinafore and created a free show much to the boys' delight.

That was all a girl could take in a day before finally cracking under the pressure. And cracked Akane did. With a sob of despair and exasperation, she fled to the one place that could provide safe sanctuary. Even though it will only last for a brief respite.

"And where do you think you're going Miss Tendo? The lesson isn't over! Get back here!" Miss Hinako squeaked after the Akane's retreating figure, her petite arms failing wildly in agitation.

"Can it brat, can't you see that she's already having too much to handle?" Ranma growled as he crossed his arms over his chest. What kind of a teacher would ignore the physical transformation of a student to concentrate on the lesson instead? *An immature and totally scatterbrained one at that.* the boy snorted and rolled his eyes at the answer.

"Yeah, Miss Hinako. Shouldn't you do something about Akane's condition instead?" Yuka snapped as she balled her fists at the child teacher's indifference. The rest of the class backed her up with similar protests but was quickly quelled when a dark aura flared around Hinako's petite body.

Fearing the worst, the students braced themselves for the drainage of _ki _by the infamous Happo-Five-Yen-Satsu. But instead of whipping out a coin to inflict punishment on her rebellious students, Hinako promptly burst into tears.

"You're all so mean! Bullying me and calling me names. Well, I'm leaving so see if I care!" bawling at the top of her lungs, the maturity dysfunctional educator sped out of the classroom.

After getting over the shock of her teacher's escape, Sayuri turned to Yuka and said, "We better make sure Akane's alright."

"Wait, how will you guys know where the tomboy went?"

Both girls came to a halt at the martial artist's question and stared haughtily at him. "Cause, we're her best friends and most importantly, we're girls." came the reply.

*Okay…* he blinked at the answer. "That makes perfect sense…" Ranma muttered absentmindedly but then grew serious. "But make sure she's alright, got that?"

"Yeah, we will." Both girls assured him before taking after their elusive bluenette.

Pursing his lips into a thin line, Ranma pondered about the bizarre incident. He had noticed how the tomboy had been fidgeting in her seat for the past thirty minutes. At first he had shrugged it off, thinking that Akane was probably just bored. But when a hiss of pain escaped from her tightly clenched lips, Ranma knew something was amiss.

Before the martial artist could lob a paper ball at Akane to ask her what's wrong, the girl leapt from her seat and all hell broke loose. As a victim of a Jusenkyo curse, Ranma have seen the unexplained and the downright weird. But watching the growth of animalistic limbs from the bluenette was no less unsettling.

The poor girl, he could hardly blame her for turning tail and fleeing. Ranma was no stranger to transformations. He could still remember the first time he climbed out of the spring, spluttering and shivering from the cold. Only to found out that his masculinity had been forcefully ripped away, to be replaced by a fragile feminine one instead.

The overwhelming fear of never being able to revert to his original form screamed in Ranma's head and gripped his heart. He literally sobbed with relief when the Jusenkyo guide reassured him that the curse could be reverted by hot water.

Therefore, it is wise to track down the distraught tomboy before she gets into trouble.

Meanwhile outside the rooftop planes, a pair of crimson eyes narrowed in satisfaction as it watched the scene unfold beneath it. Those gleaming orbs lingered for a couple of seconds more before disappearing with a blur.

Hunched over the basin, Akane wiped vigorously against the misted glass. There in the mirror stood a bedraggled bluenette, her drenched locks stuck out at odd angles due to continuous hair tugging. There reflected in her eyes was a spark of madness. Akane's lips quivered slightly as she fought to suppress the inner turmoil that was threatening to burst from her depths.

*_Gone, they're really gone._*

Rubbing the sides of her face, Akane eased out a sharp intake of breath that she did not realize that she was holding. Her ears, where there were once supposed to be were missing. Leaving a smooth and blemish free path as her palm snaked over the flesh. There was no indication of any wounds or scars. It was as though the projections have magically disappeared.

*_More like they've grew back into my skull.*_ The tomboy winced as she recalled the agony of her previous torment. As though in accordance with her thoughts, the newly sprouted pair on her crown twitched in succession.

Getting over her initial shock, Akane gave her latest additions a good scrutiny. They jutted proudly from her locks, with the same shade of midnight blue as her tresses. Reaching her hand up, Akane tentatively stroked the outline of one, marveling at how silky soft the fur was. There was even a tiny waft of fluff that lined the pink interior.

A hysterical giggle escaped from the back of Akane's throat. She tried to keep her lips closed tightly to avoid the outburst but failed miserably. The demented chortling reverberated hauntingly through the empty washroom. Tears drew glistening tracks down the girl's cheek as she was gripped with incensed mirth.

Akane felt lost, her mind was a dangerous bomb of unstable emotion, ready to explode at any time. She was used to solving physical problems head on with her fists, nothing a little roughening up can't fix. But this, this transformation of hers has completely thrown the tomboy from her usual track.

It was not as though she could belt it off to space like how she would when a certain jerk would irritate the hell out of her. The long supple tail swished agitatedly behind its mistress as Akane let out a woeful cry.

"Why is this happening to me?" she whispered dejectedly while gazing at her disheveled self that resided in the glass. Akane pondered over her present circumstances. She didn't want to go back, not to face all the taunts and gestures from judging eyes. She could still feel the snide remarks and sniggers from some of her classmates.

A tap on the shoulder caused Akane to break out from her melancholy.

"What?! Leave me…" whipping around sharply to lash out at whoever who dared to interrupt her brooding, the rest of Akane's sentence died at the back of her throat when she saw the concerned faces of Yuka and Sayuri.

"Akane… Are you alright?" Yuka asked hesitantly, concern etched across her pale complexion.

"I'm… I'm fine really…" she murmured softly. Seeing both of her friends uneasy expressions, Akane forced her stiff lips into a parody of a smile. "Come on guys, I'm okay!"

Yuka and Sayuri exchanged glances. Who was Akane trying to kid? Did she really expect that the pitiful attempt was sufficient to throw them off? As friends who had stuck through thick and thin together, the tomboy should give them a little credit.

Both girls are aware of the fact that Akane have always been one to put on a brave front. She will be the first to offer physical and moral support to her friends who are in trouble. However when it comes to Akane's own problems, it was a whole different matter altogether. The stubborn girl just refuses to open up.

So they came to an agreement of granting Akane's unspoken wish. Let the tomboy have her due. After all they are not here to make matters worse. In fact, Yuka and Sayuri have their work cut out for them.

"Wow, Akane are they really what I think it is?" Sayuri exclaimed in wonderment as she stared at the two fluffy appendages on top of Akane's head.

"Cat ears! Oh they look so kawaii! Can I touch them?" Yuka gushed earnestly with sparkles in her eyes as she reached out to stroke one.

"Wait! You don't think I look like a freak?!" Akane blustered in disbelief. Does this mean nothing to them? Hello? She just sprouted ears and a tail and all they felt were those were cute?!

"Come on, Akane. We have a guy in our class that turns into a girl when he gets dumped with cold water for Pete's sake." Yuka scoffs while rolling her eyes. "Now stop stalling and let us have a feel of those cuties!"

With that, Akane gave a small yelp as she was tackled forcefully by two very amorous girls hell bent on petting her newly formed appendages. Giggles and breathless laughter erupted from Akane's throat as she was tickled mercilessly by Yuka and Sayuri who instead of just feeling her ears decided to start an impromptu tickle war.

"Sto..Stop! Please! Ahah hahahaha! I can't take it anymore!" the pinned girl pleaded in mid laughter as she fought desperately to free herself from the tickling.

"Oh no you don't!" Yuka sniggered while yanking Akane back as the girl scrambled for safety. "Fear the wrath from the mighty fingers of doom!" Wiggling her fingers menacingly, Sayuri dived in for the kill; making sure to target her victim's weak spots. Akane wasn't passive either; she managed to inflict a few good jabs on her own but with two against one, the odds are not in the tomboy's favor.

The wrestling between the girls continued until all three of them have to agree to a truce when their sides were sore from all the tickling involved. As Akane sat there panting with her back leaning against Yuka's she couldn't suppress the small smile sliding across her face. She was grateful. Grateful for her two friends' presence in her time of need. Even though it did not fully resolve the predicament that she was in, it had helped to slightly elevate the emotional turmoil rumbling deep within the confines of her chest. Akane was jerked from her musing when a sharp tingle rushed through her very frame.

"It's so soft." Yuka exhaled in wonderment as she stroked the length of an ear. Taking time to feel the lush fur. "Hey, it even moves!"

Sayuri on the other hand was engrossed with the lithe tail swishing restlessly from the base of Akane's spine. It was as though the limb had a mind of its own. No matter how hard she tried to get a hold of it, it escaped like a sinuous snake, twitching and curling at the last minute before waving tauntingly before her face.

Growling beneath her breath, Sayuri gave a mental curse. *Just you wait I'm gonna…* Striking like a snake, she finally caught the elusive tail.  
"Gotcha!" Sayuri exclaimed gleefully but faltered when Akane gave an angry hiss and jerked her tail away from Sayuri's grasp.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Akane! Does it hurt?" the girl hurriedly apologized. Horrified that she had inflicted pain upon her friend.

*Of course it hurts!* Akane mentally scoffed as she cradled her abused tail tenderly in her arms. "Just… not so hard will you?" she muttered darkly while easing out the crick in the appendage.

Suddenly the throbbing was replaced sharply by a pleasure so intense that it harbored on the threshold of pain. A satisfied moan escaped from Akane's tightly clamped lips causing the girl to flop spinelessly onto the ground. Yuka who had been stroking an ear, have ventured into rather simulating territory. Instead of just content with stroking the sides, she focused on the tip of the triangles. Giving a good strong rub on both the outer and inner ear flaps.

"Yuka… stop… stop touching my ears!" Akane snarled while swatting away the girl's fingers from the abused appendages.

"Hey! What's the big idea? Doesn't it feel good? Did I do something wrong?" Biting her lip in anxiety, Yuka waited for an explanation.

"Nah… It's nice to have them be rubbed. But let's just say it's just a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don't think I'm going to let anyone touch them in the future." Akane declared decisively while wincing from the ebbing sensation from her sore ears.

"Why not?"

"Look they're sensitive alright! Besides they are not toys to be played with." Akane grew flustered for a moment, her face turning pink before defending her reason with a huff. True, her ears felt great when they were rubbed but honestly it felt too personal, too intimate a touch. Furthermore they are a weak spot! Just one itsy bitsy stroke and it's enough to bring her to her knees!

*Never again.* The tomboy vowed with finality.

"So… What are you going to do then?" Sayuri voiced the very question that had been haunting Akane since the very start of the catastrophe. The girl remained silent and became so still that it was as though she resembles a statue carved out of stone.

*Great job genius, you just have to say it don't you.* The affronted and appalled glare that Yuka casted upon her friend conveyed all the unspoken reprimands that the girl wanted to inflict on her thoughtless friend.

Upon receiving the murderous look from Yuka, Sayuri winced and mentally berated herself for her insensitivity. "Oh my god! Akane! I'm so…"

"I.. I don't know…" Akane interrupted the girl in a hoarse whisper. It scared her, how perplexing the situation is. Having no idea how to solve her current predicament just makes matters worse.

Seeing how down casted the tomboy was, the two girls pulled her into a group hug. Taking care not to crush the delicate limbs in the process.

"It's going to be okay Akane. Besides, it's not as though it is the end of the world!" Yuka cajoled.

"Where's that tough tomboy when we need her? Come on this is nothing; you've faced far greater adversaries than this. Who cares what people think! I think they look so cute on you! Furthermore you can always count on us Akane, we're your friends and we'll always have your back." Sayuri exclaimed passionately before softening her tone to stress upon the fact.

"Guys… Guys…"

"Akane, what's…"

"You're crushing me." Came the reply which caused both girls to jerk and loosen their hugs a little to allow the subject of their affection the ability to breathe.

Chortling at their reactions, Akane felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. A slow sly grin crept across her lips. Looping an arm around each of the girls' waist, Akane gave a bone crushing squeeze to the ribs causing a bout of shrieks and struggles from the pair.

"Thanks. But that's payback for my bruised hips!"

After a bout of frantic thrashing, Yuka and Sayuri managed to escape from the tomboy's grip. Breathless and red faced from exertion, they glowered viciously at their tormentor before throwing their heads back in laughter.

Wiping the tears away from her eyes, Sayuri finally ceased her giggles and said. "Well, I guess it's time to take action about the situation." With that, she whipped out a large pair of scissors and brandished them in Akane's face.

Staring at the gleaming blades, Akane felt the blood drain from her face. Beads of sweat danced on her feverish forehead. The sour taste of fear rose in the back of her throat. *She's…. she's not going to do what I think she is, is she?*

"Yuka… Yuka what's with the sci…scissors…" she spoke in a ragged whisper, her horrified gaze never wavering from the sharp instrument of unspeakable torture.

Rolling her eyes at Akane's distress, Yuka reassured the girl with a flippant gesture of the tool. "Relax, I'm not going to cut them off. I'm just going to do a slight adjustment." Grabbing a hold of Akane's pinafore, she gave the girl a slight push. "We can't have you flashing your undies to the world, now turn around so I can cut a hole for your tail!"

"Oh… Okay…"

Blinking at her answer, Akane gave a sigh of relief and turned to let Yuka proceed with her task. Feeling awfully silly from her bout of panicking.

* * *

**Well, that's that of chapter 2. Truthfully I had a rather hard time trying to show Akane's feelings without it being awfully out of character. Bear in mind that her personality is one that does not like to express weakness. Much like Ranma in similarity that they are just really proud. **

**So do review and let me know what you think. **

**Yuria. **


	3. Hide but don't seek

**Disclaimer: Nope, certainly not mine. Sigh…**

* * *

_What's taking them so long? _Tapping his fingers impatiently against his forearm, Ranma gave an irritated snort. Balanced precariously on two legs of the chair, the teen rocked himself forward and backwards as he waited impatiently for the girls return.

Ranma sneaked a glance at the class clock hanging above the blackboard. _A quarter to three… They've been inside for more than forty minutes already!_ The scowl on his face deepened and a low growl crept from the boy's throat.

Ranma was certain that Yuka and Sayuri will have no trouble locating Akane but what worries him most was that why was it taking them so long to return? Could it be that further complications have occurred or had something happened to the tomboy? With every passing moment, the gears within Ranma's mind spun with increasing intensity; fueling the youth's paranoia with mental images of the bluenette suffering. Each more distressing than the last.

Unable to shake the morbid thoughts from his head, the martial artist executed an impressive somersault from his seat before landing lightly on his feet. Ranma had enough of waiting. Striding towards the door, he was just about to slide it open before it did without him laying a hand on the latch.

Never expecting to have a figure pop right before their faces, the two girls gave a blood chilling scream that almost broke the sound barrier.

"The hell! What was that for!" cupping over the abused appendages, Ranma cursed while trying to block out the ringing in his eardrums.

"You're one to talk! What are you doing standing behind a door like a god damn stalker?! Trying to give as a heart attack?!" Sayuri snapped back, a hand over her chest as she fought to restore normalcy to the frenzied pounding within her ribs.

"Whatever. Hey, where's Akane? Isn't she with supposed to be with you?" Ranma scoffed before blurting out his question when he realized that the tomboy was no-where to be seen.

"She's not feeling all that well so she decided to head back earlier." Yuka piped in answer.

Upon hearing the words uttered from the girl's mouth, Ranma's eyes widened in alarm. "And…and you let her go? Jeez, what were you guys thinking?!" Dragging a hand down his face in exasperation, Ranma spun and grabbed his belongings before dashing out of the door.

"Now just hold on a minute!" Grabbing a fistful of the red mandarin shirt that was flapping behind the martial artist back, Sayuri gave a strong yank and succeeded in halting the teen in his tracks.

Unperturbed by the glare Ranma was giving her, Sayuri squared her shoulders and said with a sigh, "Look, Ranma. We both know that Akane had a rather rough day, so I think that it's best that she doesn't get any more unnecessary stress."

Staring expectantly at him, Sayuri could feel the smile slipping off her face. Instead of showing any sign of comprehension, all the idiot did was to scratch the back of his head in confusion. The vein on Sayuri's temple grew even more pronounced as so did her frustration.

_The moron. A genius in any form of martial arts and yet a dunce when it comes to the simplest social graces… _

Tilting her head slightly downwards, Sayuri let out a barely audible sigh. What does she have to do to make him understand? Fine, she'll just have to speak his language. A hand shot out so fast that even the lightning reflexes of the martial artist could not deflect clawed fingers from tightening around his throat.

Yanking the blundering idiot to her eye level, Sayuri snarled. "I'm just gonna make this simple baka. Do anything to upset or piss Akane off and I'll hack off something that's important to you." She gestured to Yuka, who silently placed the dreaded blade into her free palm.

"And I'm not talking about that _precious _pigtail of yours…" A low deceitful chuckle crept from the Sayuri's twisted grin as she snipped the gleaming edges together for good measure.

_Ah good, so he's not such a dunce after all… _The girl noted with satisfaction when she saw Ranma's blue grey orbs widen with both comprehension and fear. The age old threat that all men fear never fails.

Involuntarily swallowing the lump down his throat, Ranma wrestled his expression into one of nonchalance. _Dammit! I can't believe I let her get to me!_ He didn't doubt for a minute that Sayuri would gladly carry out her threat. The ways of the female gender are unfathomable and tricky. The weaker sex they said. Bah! Lies!

Removing the hand from his throat, Ranma gave a snort. "Hey, I'm not the one that's always looking for trouble with the tomboy; it's just that she's always jumping to insane conclusions."

"Okay, okay! I get it! I'll just lay low for a while…" he placated upon seeing the death glares directed towards him from the two girls. "Anyway, gotta run!" With that, Ranma sped down the hallway in hot pursuit of the elusive bluenette.

"And keep your trap shut!" Yuka hollered after the martial artist's figure and got a flippant wave in response.

As the Baka disappeared from sight, Sayuri turned towards Yuka and said "He's going to get belted to the stratosphere again isn't he?"

"Yep, damn straight." Yuka answered with a sagely nod of her head.

* * *

Clutching the handle of her satchel so tightly that the leather started to bite into her palm, Akane cautiously eased herself onto the pavement. She shifted her head left and right, eyes darting fervently to check whether the coast is clear.

There wasn't a soul in sight, which was exactly how the girl wanted it to be. What Akane intended to do, is to get home unseen and unheard. The thought of someone catching sight of her new appendages sent shivers down Akane's spine.

After the brief modification to her skirt, Akane bid the girls farewell and left for home. She had no mood to continue with the lessons and certainly not the usual catfight with Ranma's amorous fiancées. _Let him take care of it himself!_ The bluenette grumbled as she kicked a pebble away from her path with slightly more force than required.

But the more she thought about that Baka, the more Akane could feel the scowl slipping off her face. There was a slight twinge of guilt pinching at her conscience. It wasn't a spoken rule but both teens would actually wait for each other before making the trip back to the Tendo household. Initially Akane was only doing it out of consideration that Ranma was new to the neighborhood and he may need some help getting around. However, she soon came to realize how street smart the martial artist is; he practically didn't need her at all! But Ranma never asked her to stop and neither did Akane relinquish her goodwill. So dutifully, day in day out the two would make their journey back while spending each moment bickering and squabbling.

This in turn earned a tiny sigh from the bluenette. Perhaps making a move first was for the best, after all the shouting and ruckus wouldn't help her in achieving a low profile. Honestly, there was times where she wondered if their snapping was the only way they could communicate effectively.

Akane was pulled from her thoughts when her ears picked up the faint tapping of footsteps. They were coming around from the bend and fast! _Gotta find a place to hide! I can't let anyone see me!_ Her eyes darted left and right, seeking for a possible sanctuary that she could take cover in while the threat passes. However, the only thing in sight was a hedge that stretched endlessly. It wasn't even one of those pretty, well pruned foliage whose job was to light up the sidewalk. The leaves are jagged, their colour a sickly brown which one would associate with decay. No flowers could reduce the wild bush's hideousness if it ever grew any.

_Where is a sign or a tree when you need one?_ Akane is certain that using the menacing vegetation as a hiding place isn't such a good idea. It wouldn't be comfortable having brambles and thorns digging into your flesh. Unfortunately for the bluenette, she wasn't exactly spoiled for choice. Furthermore the footsteps are getting louder and louder with each passing moment, it wasn't long before she would be discovered.

Biting her lip and shooting the thicket a look that could burn, Akane steeled herself and dove in. Just in time too as a whole gaggle of noisy middle school students strolled by. Crouching behind the curtain of briers, Akane peeked between the gaps catching glimpses of the passer-bys. She waited patiently for them to pass, however instead of making their way across like good little pedestrians, those prissy little school girls just stood there; like they owned the street.

They even had the nerve to stand there and carry on their mindless conversations while she is stuck, cramped and pierced by the countless barbs. Resisting the urge to let out a curse, Akane willed herself to calm down. _It's okay, everything is going to be fine._ _Just… Just count to ten. After ten, they'll be gone and I can get out of this hell hole. Well they better be anyway. One…_

It turns out that the bluenette's luck was not on her side on this particular day. After Akane had completed her count, those inconsiderate girls were still happily chatting away, disgracing the area with their obnoxious laughter and gossip. She had half a mind to leap from her hiding place and scare the socks off the silly airheads but refrained only because she didn't want to lower herself down to their level with the juvenile prank.

_How long are they going to take?! It must have been more than fifteen minutes already!_ Akane was starting to lose the feeling in her legs. It wasn't all fun and games being trapped like a rabbit in a snare with bristles poking into your flesh with every fidget. Furthermore the wet earthy fumes of moldering vegetation were starting to make the bluenette feel light headed.

"Whatcha doing, tomboy?"

The sentence uttered right at Akane's ear elicited a shriek from the girl, causing her to spring out of the thicket in surprise.

"Oh my god, run! It's the blue furred demon from 21st street! Flee before she steals your socks!" cried a frazzled middle schooler before bolting for safety with her clique behind her heels.

_What on earth… I should have done that a long time ago… _Akane stared after the retreating figures with a perplexed look on her face. After getting over the shock, she turned to face the whisperer that apparently had no ideals in personal space. She could recognize that insult from anywhere.

"Ranma! How long were you behind me?"

"Ever since I saw you snuck into that sorry excuse for a bush. Doesn't look too comfortable." confessed the martial artist as he watched Akane remove the thorns caught in her clothes. It was only then when he truly took in the bluenette's new appendages. From the two triangular-shaped ears on the top of her head to the limber tail peeking from behind. Well, for someone who's suffered from a painful bout of transformation not too long ago, she doesn't look half bad. At least the tomboy isn't suffering anymore.

"What exactly are you doing anyway?"

"I er… I saw… I saw a penny. Yeah, there was a penny in there." Akane explained hastily as she purposely avoided eye contact with the martial artist. However, a stray thought caused the bluenette to rear her head and shoot Ranma a wary glance.

"Ranma, am I a freak?" Akane quietly asked while staring at her shoes. The bluenette told herself that whatever answers that the martial artist gives, she'll understand.

Blinking at the unexpected question, Ranma took a closer look at the bluenette. _She's serious… _He opened and closed his mouth, swallowing the initial hurtful remark that almost slipped through due to his accursed 'technique 'of inserting foot into mouth.

"Nah, you're still the same old grouchy tomboy I know. Besides, growing extra limbs isn't that much of a big deal when you're already freaky with your insane strength and atrocious cooking skills." Ranma assured Akane teasingly while dogging her half-hearted swipe. "See, nasty temper too..."

"Ranma!" Akane whined at the back-handed reassurance before heaving an inner sigh of relief. It seems that no matter how bleak matters may seem, the martial artist will always be there by her side. Even though he can be a snarky pompous jerk at times.

Heaving his satchel over his shoulder, Ranma started down the path before stopping to glance back at Akane. "You coming?"

"Yeah… I'm… er…"

"Hurry up! I don't want to be late for dinner." urged Ranma as he continued walking.

"Wait! Ranma!" Akane blurted as she hastily grabbed the tail of the martial artist's mandarin shirt. "Can we… Can we choose a different path?"

The way the girl bit her bottom lip was a dead giveaway for her previous actions. _Honestly, does she really think that she could fool me? _Ranma knew that even though Akane may come across as assertive she's actually very insecure. The trait he might have aggravated with his stupid remarks. If this is the way the tomboy is coping with her situation, he'll just have to play along and do her a favor.

Without a single warning, Akane found herself being scooped onto a broad masculine back. A squeak escaped from her lips as she felt calloused hands hook firmly under her thighs, securing her before its owner scaled up the fence.

"Ranma! What are you doing?!" Akane shrieked as she latched her arms frantically around the martial artist's shoulders, the wind against her face.

"Getting us home what else? Besides, it's faster this way." Ranma replied calmly as he continued sprinting down the narrow ledge, his balance never wavering. "Jeez, have you been pigging out lately? I swear you're heavy!"

"Jerk!"

"Ow!"

For that comment, the martial artist received a large bump on his cranium, courtesy of an irate Akane. However, Ranma managed to catch a quiet thank you whispered at the crook of his neck. Picking up his pace, Ranma sped towards the Tendo Residence.

A small smile etched across his face.

* * *

**First an apology for the late update.**

**In the previous reviews, some of you actually brought out that Ranma should be more concerned about Akane's plight. Well, he is concerned. But the thing he cares most is for her not to suffer physical pain. As long as she's not, the solution can always come later.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed chapter 3, because things are heating up in the following one where Akane's diagnosis will be out; courtesy of Doctor Tofu. What will happen when Ranma realizes what Akane's transformation truly is?**

**Stay tuned!**

**Yuria**


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